How to Say “Stop” in Spanish

Ways to say it

In Spanish, the way you say stop depends on whether you are stopping a physical movement or ceasing an activity. dejar de is used to mean to stop or to leave off an action, often implying the intentional or permanent cessation of a habit or a state. parar de is used to express the cessation of an activity or the physical interruption of a continuous motion. If you want to say 'stop' in the sense of a physical movement or to halt a machine, you can use the verb parar on its own.

Which one should you use?

While both phrases can mean to stop an activity, dejar de often implies a permanent or intentional cessation of a habit or state, whereas parar de is frequently used for the physical interruption of a continuous motion or activity.

Is it said differently in some regions?

In Latin American Spanish, the term pare is often used instead of para to say stop. In Mexican Spanish, alto is a common way to say stop.

Related words

Place to get on and off mass transport (noun): parada, paradero.

Punctuation symbol (noun): punto, punto final.

How does it change in a sentence?

When you want to express the cessation of an action, both dejar de and parar de must be followed by an infinitive.

How do you pronounce it?

/dexaɾ de/

What mistakes should you avoid?

Do not use dejar alone to mean 'stop an action'. You must use dejar de to express the meaning of ceasing to do something.

When do people say it?

The word Alto translates to 'halt' and is frequently used in law enforcement or traffic-related situations. The word Alto is also common in Mexico for various contexts.